If you’re a Keanu Reeves fan, you’ll be pleased to hear that a sequel to his cult classic Constantine has been in development for years — but recently, one of Reeves’ co-stars from the original film revealed that the actor isn’t satisfied with the scripts that have emerged during the process.
"[There's] a lot of back and forth, because... I think Keanu [Reeves] isn’t happy with the scripts," actor Peter Stormare revealed in a recent interview with The Direct. "Because the first one wasn’t a big hit at first, it grew into a sleeper hit and became a cult movie, and now it’s one of the biggest cult films of all time... For a sequel, the studios want cars flying through the air, people doing backflips, and nonstop action scenes."
Stormare, who portrayed Lucifer in the 2005 original and is set to reprise his role in the sequel, added that Reeves isn’t interested in turning the next installment into an action-packed spectacle.
Top 15 Keanu Reeves Movies
View 16 Images
"And I think Keanu says, 'I’ve done John Wick. This movie is spiritual. It’s about demons and ordinary people. And I wanted to keep it that way.' And we talked about that. I want to portray God coming down in the same way — in a black suit, looking more or less like Lucifer from the first one. I’m 12 years older now, so it’ll be tough to fully replicate the original. But from Keanu’s side, he wants a sequel that stays true to the first film."
Plus, it seems Reeves is wary that Warner Bros. might push the production toward something overly grand, like a Marvel film — which isn’t surprising, since Constantine is loosely based on the DC and Vertigo comic series Hellblazer, and studios are eager to tap into popular comic book properties. Reeves recently met with DC Studios about the project, but the film would likely suffer from such an inflated approach, and Reeves clearly understands that.
"It took a long time for [the original] to become a cult movie. It really worked, and it will work with audiences again," Stormare said. "You don’t need to pile on action and shootouts. You’ve got other movies for that. Don’t turn it into a big Marvel... [Don’t turn it] into us flying around in harnesses all the time and blowing each other up. Don’t bring in the big guns. Keep it simple."
Director Francis Lawrence is set to return for the sequel, but it’s still unclear when filming will begin — or when it might be released.
